


Just as I begin to fade

by BatsAreFluffy



Series: Like tears in the rain [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC Extended Universe, Justice League (2017)
Genre: Alfred injured, Boyfriend being supportive, Bruce does not handle it well, Day 7: Lean on me, M/M, NO DEATH, Whumptober 2020, he's fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatsAreFluffy/pseuds/BatsAreFluffy
Summary: The valet's voice was pitched low. "It's your driver for the evening."Wayne froze, sharp eyes focused only on the other man. "Tell me what happened.""They've called an ambulance already. He - he collapsed in the back lot, sir."Now with the follow up: Dream in my Pocket
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne
Series: Like tears in the rain [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950151
Comments: 8
Kudos: 119
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Just as I begin to fade

"Mr. Wayne? Mr. Wayne, sir?" 

Brucie Wayne turned from the group of chairmen to face the younger man in the valet's uniform. "Yes? You didn't wreck the bens, did you?" he teased, frowning. The valet looked incredibly nervous. "It's insured, don't worry about --"

"It's not the car, sir." The valet's voice was pitched low, so that the chattering groups didn't pick up his words. "It's your driver for the evening."

Wayne froze, sharp eyes focused only on the other man. "Tell me what happened."

"They've called an ambulance already. He - he collapsed in the back lot, sir. Sir!" The valet scurried to keep up with Wayne as he rushed out the main hall. "This way, the back stairwell leads out to the lots."

Wayne skidded to a halt and nodded jerkily. "Go." 

____

The lights were already flashing when Bruce shoved through the throng of employees. "Move," he growled, ducking around one police officer who was blocking people. 

A hand grabbed his shoulder. "Sir, this doesn't concern the guests --" 

Wayne snarled, twisted and nearly broke the arm of the police officer. 

"Renforth, let him through," his partner called. 

Ignoring the muttered curses at his back, Bruce twisted around cars and people, and around the ambulance.

_... 24 pearls ... off white..._

He shook his head. No, there's no blood, just.... just....

Alfred lay on the pavement, air mask on and two paramedics taking readings. The mask was fogging - he was breathing. No blood. No wounds ... not his heart, Bruce thought hopelessly. Please, not Alfred. He stumbled the last four steps and fell to his knees beside him. "Alfred?" he whispered.

"Sir, are you next of kin?" the paramedic on his left asked, filling in more readings on the tablet. 

"Yes, and POE."

The paramedic nodded. "He's stable, so we are going to take him to Gotham General. If you'd like to follow us, or meet us at the Emergency Entrance."

Bruce jerked out a nod. "alright," he said, not moving. He stayed even as they lifted him onto a stretcher, and wrapped the orange shock blankets around him. It was only when they lifted the older man into the back that Bruce even twitched. whirling, he dashed into the sleek Bens that Alfred had brought up for the evening. 

\---

Clark Kent slipped through the main entrance, glasses fogging from the fog of Gotham, two coffees clutched in his hands. A few murmured hellos, a nod, and no one asked him any questions. He was just, to all appearances, another loved one making a coffee run across the way. So, even though it was closer to the opening of visiting hours than the close, no one stopped him heading up to Surgery.

A lovely orderly stopped him and asked who he was looking for at the main desk. "My uncle was rushed into surgery an hour ago, Mr. Pennyworth." 

He nodded, looking through his bookings. "Still in surgery. The family has been asked to wait in the Downsview room. To your left." 

"Thank you," Clark said, giving him a weak smile. He slipped down the silent hall, and slowly entered the waiting room. 

Bruce whipped towards the door, face falling when he saw it wasn't a doctor. "How - " Bruce blinked a few times, at a loss for words. "Clark?"

Clark nodded, and pushed at Bruce with one of the coffees. "Sit down, Bruce. Drink. He's still in surgery."

Bruce glanced down at the coffee, and then back up at Clark. "How did you - "

"Sit." Clark waited until Bruce was down before settling on the coffee table in front of him. "I was hanging around when I heard the sirens at the gala. Thought I'd give you enough time to get past all the press before I came up." He watched Bruce take a few shaky sips of coffee. "What happened, Bruce?"

"I - I don't know. He drove me up to Metropolis this morning, and we came back to the offices to get ready for the gala. Nothing seemed to be wrong." Bruce raked a hand through his hair, pulling on the strands. "He's been fine, I think. He's been careful after that fall 3 months ago, but not limping." Another rake, Bruce putting his coffee on the floor to tug with both hands this time. 

"Shh, it's okay, Bruce. Just breathe." Clark pushed Bruce's shoulders back toward his chair. "Just breathe." 

"No one has come down yet. I don't even know what's happened. He was breathing, but unconscious when the valets found him. It's been 4 hours, Clark, major heart surgery takes 3 to 6 hours depending on complications and extenuating circumstances -"

Clark shushed him. "Bruce, breathe, you're talking faster than Barry. Okay, that's right. Drink coffee, breathe air." Clark shrugged his coat off, and grabbed Bruce's free hand. "I'm here until someone comes down, ok? And you don't know that it was his heart, right?"

"Unconsciousness with laboured breathing, unresponsive, high blood pressure -"

"Bruce -"

"Research suggests that men over 75 have a great chance of dying from attacks and complications thereof within -"

"Bruce -"

"twenty eight percent of men will be hospitalized from congested heart fail--"

Clark pulled Bruce roughly into a hug, burying his boyfriend's face in his neck. "Enough, Bruce. I know your scared, but you can't catastrophize without information." He held on even as Bruce fisted his shirt silently. "I'm here, I've got you. No matter what." 


End file.
